My Take on Portrait of a Murder

Book Reviews

Art, murder, mystery, romance, are all combined in Portrait of a Murder by Kerry J. Charles. This is the first book in the Dulcie Chambers Mystery series. After finishing Portait of a Murder, I can not wait to start on the other books in the series.

Kerry J. Charles has quite an impressive resume. She has worked as a researcher, writer, and editor for National Geographic Magazine, the Smithsonian Institution, and Harvard University. She has also worked for major textbook publishers. All of this experience has surely come in handy at penning her own works.

The mystery is set on the coast of Maine. Dulcie Chambers is a curator for the Maine Museum of Art. She wants to acquire a watercolor by Winslow Homer to complete her exhibit. The museum’s director, Joshua Harriman, volunteers to go to Christie’s auction house in New York to bid on and hopefully obtain the watercolor. But before Dulcie can lay her sights on the watercolor, she instead comes across a body. She is now in a sticky situation, but police detective Nick Black is on the case.

I enjoyed Portrait of a Murder very much. At 137 pages, it was not a super long read, however, it was a page turner. There were just enough suspects to confuse things and keep one guessing. I would recommend this book and I am planning to continue reading the series. The next book is titled, From the Murky Deep. Sounds interesting already! As always, Happy Reading!

Making English Muffins

Cooking

My husband and I decided to make English muffins. Could these compare to those bought in the store? We had to find out.

To make the English muffins, we started the day before as they needed time to rise and rest. The dough was made using a stand mixer with dough hook. No kneading involved. Gotta love that! The dough was set to rise and then divided into twelve balls and placed on a sheet with cornmeal and covered with plastic wrap. The next step was interesting. Another cookie sheet was placed on top of this, to weigh down the muffins. All this was set in the refrigerator to rest overnight.

In the morning, my husband and I browned batches in cast iron pans on the stove top, flipping to cook both sides. The muffins were then put into the oven to finish cooking until they reached around 205 degrees when poked with a thermometer.

So, how did the English muffins turn out? I really enjoyed them. They were delicious. Mine was cut in half and toasted in the toaster. I then smeared margarine on top. This is my muffin topping of choice. In my opinion, these were much better than any brand of English muffin I have purchased before. The texture was good, they toasted well, and they were fresh. A keeper, I would say.

The recipe (which includes helpful pictures) can be found in the cookbook: America’s Test Kitchen – Bread Illustrated.

My English Muffin

As always, Happy Baking!

Homemade Sushi

Cooking

My daughter likes sushi and decided to make her own sushi at home. This was new to our kitchen, so she found a recipe on-line and we watched a video on how to accomplish this dish. But first she needed supplies.

From the video, we could see that a sushi mat (small pieces of bamboo tied together into a bendable mat) would be an essential tool in the making of the sushi. So, we ordered a set to pick-up curb side. The set was very nice. It also came with a flat, fat wooden spoon to smooth the rice onto the mat and a pair of cute chop sticks. All for under four dollars.

Next, for the food items. She would be using sushi rice (rice especially made for sushi because it turns out nice and sticky), fresh alvacado, cucumber, wasabi, lemon juice, sheets of dried seaweed, and instead of the traditional imitation crab legs, canned salmon. These are the basic indredients for the California Sushi Roll. No raw fish for us.

My daughter made the sushi by first covering the sushi mat with saran wrap. Do not skip this step if deciding to try this at home. This keeps the rice from sticking to the mat. The mat is basically a turning/rolling device that helps to form the rolled sushi. Next, she used the wooden spoon to pat down rice onto the mat. Then she put a sheet of seaweed on top. On top of this, she added the alvacado mixed with lemon juice, cucumber, and salmon. Now it was time to roll it all up. This step required a bit of patience. I think watching a video of the process helped out a lot. After rolling it into a log, my daughter put it in the refrigerator overnight.

My daughter, the sushi chef, hard at work.

The next day for lunch, I was offered some sushi to try for myself. Not a big fan of seaweed, I opted for a small bite. My daughter sliced the log into bite sized portions and squeezed a bit of wasabi onto the plate. I was told only a small bit of this was needed as it was very hot. She also put soy sauce into a dipping bowl to dip the pieces of sushi into before eating.

I sat down, ready to wrinkle my nose up a bit. I tried using the chop sticks, however, I think I need to practice with those a bit more. A spoon ended up being my utensil. With a bit of wasabi on top, into the soy sauce it went, and then into my mouth. My daughter was right, only a bit of wasabi is needed. It was hot but tasted good. To my surprise, the seaweed did not taste like the ocean (maybe the wasabi covered the taste) and I actually enjoyed the sushi. Job well done daughter dear!

As always, Happy Cooking!

My Take on…Bomb Girls

Book Reviews

I just finished reading Bomb Girls by Jacky Hyams. This book is about the women who worked in Britain’s munitions during WWII. The book is a rare treat, especially for those interested in history.

Bomb Girls starts out by introducing the reader to munitions factories and what it was like to work in one of these factories. But what is even better are the following chapters, the memoirs of the actual workers, the stories they tell of their life experiences. The chapters read as though the women are right there, telling their stories in person. Each woman tells a little about her life before working at the factory and then details of her experience at the factory and what she did after the war was over. The last chapter gives more details about each of the munitions factories that the women in the book worked at and what happened to the facility after the war.

This book was an easy read and kept me interested the entire time. I had no idea that once a girl turned 18 they were called up to work in factories of this kind during the war years. It was very dangerous work. Accidents happened and some were deadly. So what got these women through this stressful time? Friendship, doing what they thought was right to help their country, and the hopes of helping the men they knew and loved.

I highly recommend Bomb Girls. If you love history, have an interest in WWII, or want to learn more about women and their efforts during the war, this book is a must read. As always, Happy Reading!

My Take on Swing Shift

movie review

My husband and I recently watched the movie Swing Shift starring a young Goldie Hawn (Kay) and Kurt Russell (Lucky). It is a period movie about women taking on factory jobs during WWII. This movie focused on the airplane industry in Santa Monica, California. It also hit on the comaraderie between the workers and how important that was to the women in getting on with life while a war was taking place and lives were being taken.

In the movie, Kay’s husband Jack sets out to join the Navy and Kay (against her husband’s wishes) sets out to build airplanes. She meets Lucky who is a line foreman and he has his sights on her. Will the husband or the foreman get the girl? Watch the movie to find out…

I love period films. This film was of interest to catch a glimpse of what it was like for women entering the workforce during the war. Try to picture your grandmother or great-grandmother helping the war effort. Although it is Hollywood, it is interesting all the same.

I enjoyed Swing Shift, as I do most of the film that feature Hawn. It was interesting to see Hawn and Russell work together as well, being they are a couple in real life. As always, Happy Viewing!

I Have to Read What!

Book Reviews

Back in high school, my teacher assigned the class to read Dracula by Bram Stoker. What! I was none too thrilled to say the least. Of all the books, why on earth did she have to choose that! I had NO interest in reading a book about vampires, or so I thought…

I should have known that this particular teacher (who was one of the best) would not let me down. Shortly into the book, I was hooked. Dracula, of course, is a classic. This is with good reason.

Since high school, I have read Dracula a few more times. I just recently finished reading it again. It is one of the few books that I have read more than a couple of times. It is a great read around Halloween. I am also a fan of reading this book at night; helps to set the scene.

So the moral of my story is… it is hard to judge a book by its subject matter alone. It is a good idea to try reading books one would not normally choose. One never knows what they may be missing.

As always, Happy Reading!

Baking Bagels for the First Time

Cooking

I decided to try making homemade bagels. I opted for a recipe I found for Montreal Style bagels. https://anitalianinmykitchen.com/homemade-bagels/ The recipe looked simple enough, and it was.

The bagels were put together quickly using a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment. After that, they were set to rest for half an hour, shaped into bagels, and set to rest for another half hour. They were then tossed into a pot of boiling honey water, flipped to boil the other side, sprinkled with sesame seeds, and popped into the oven for fifteen minutes.

My taste testers agreed that they were good enough to make again. I was quite pleased as to how fool-proof they were to make. I think I shall be trying other versions of bagels soon. My son has requested his favorite cinnamon raisin bagel. I am sure the options are endless…

Boiling the bagels.
Out of the pot and sprinkled with sesame seeds.
Ready to eat!

As always, Happy Baking!

Sunshine Blogger Award Nomination

life

I want to give my BIGGEST thanks to Julia and Katherine at Nourish for nominating me for the Sunshine Blogger Award. Nourish posts wonderful, healthy recipes and talks openly about eating disorders. I love this mother/daughter team site and I hope everyone will check them out. I can attest that their gingerbread recipe is wonderful. Thanks again ladies!

The Sunshine Blogger Award is given to bloggers by fellow bloggers who are creative, positive, and inspiring. After receiving the nomination, the blogger has the honor of writing a post that thanks the nominator, answers some fun questions, and nominates more bloggers for the award.

Here’s what the nominees have to do:

  1. Thank the blogger who nominated you and include a link to their blog.
  2. Answer the 11 questions asked of you.
  3. Nominate other bloggers for the award and ask them 11 questions.
  4. Notify the nominees in the comments of one of their posts.
  5. Include the request and logo of the Sunshine Blogger Award in your post.

Questions from Julie and Katherine at Nourish:

  1. What is one positive thing that happened in 2020? From the beginning of the whole Covid situation, I decided to make the best of things. After all, why make yourself more miserable by having a negative outlook? The best thing that happened in 2020 was that my family and I got to spend a lot of quality time together. There were more game nights, walks in the neighborhood, movie nights, and conversation. We enjoyed each other and appreciated what we have.
  2. What are you looking forward to in the New Year? I am hoping that the New Year will at some point be more normal. I am also anxious to start in on my New Year’s resolutions. Oh yes, I’m a list maker. So resolutions are my cup of tea.
  3. How will you be celebrating New Year’s Eve? I will ring in the New Year with my husband, daughter, and son at home. We will play board games and drink egg nog and eat a wonderful dessert, of which I have yet to decide upon.
  4. Follow up to #3: are you planning on staying up until midnight on NYE? Yes! I will not be a party pooper.
  5. Best recipe you tried in 2020? Making homemade croissants. It felt like I was in France. Oh yum!
  6. Best book you read in 2020? I’m a bookworm by nature so it is hard for me to pick just one book. Lets see… I will say it was The Thoughts and Happenings of Wilfred Price Purveyor of Superior Funerals by Wendy Jones. I bought the sequel to the book before I was finished with the first. I guess that says something.
  7. Favorite blog post you’ve ever done? (Feel free to link it!) That would have to be Learning to Skateboard at my age? Why Not! After a less than ideal skateboarding attempt as a kid, I finally got the nerve to try it again as an adult. Read my post for the whole story!
  8. If you could travel anywhere (when it’s safe to, of course), where would you go? I want to go to Greece! I am a big fan of the movie Mamma Mia and I think it looks beautiful and peaceful there. It is on my bucket list.
  9. What is something you do take care of yourself? I try to eat a balanced diet and get to bed at a decent hour. This year I have also taken up doing Yoga daily. It has helped to heal some aches and pains, so I am a big fan of it.
  10. What do you hope readers get out of your blog? I hope that it offers a little something for everyone. It is an accumulation of all the things that make me me. I strive to be positive and honest and hopefully helpful.
  11. What is your favorite thing about blogging? I love having a blogging community where I can communicate with like minds. I enjoy being inspired by others and building blogging friendships.

Enough about me… Now for my Blogger Nominations. And the winners are…

  1. Creatology Blog
  2. Zeichenschatten
  3. Dave Bakes
  4. Bead Yarn Spatula
  5. Two Trails One Road
  6. Maison Bentley Style
  7. Maybe It’s Just Me
  8. Teti’s Flakes
  9. Silly Old Sod
  10. Frugal Haus Frau
  11. House Crazy Sarah

Here are your questions:

  1. What is your favorite movie of all time?
  2. What do you enjoy about blogging?
  3. How many languages do you speak and what are they?
  4. Where is your favorite place that you have travelled to?
  5. If you could invite 2 famous people to dinner (dead or alive) who would they be?
  6. Do you make New Year’s Resolutions?
  7. What is your favorite blog post?
  8. What book are you currently reading?
  9. What is your favorite recipe?
  10. Do you prefer cats or dogs?
  11. Any words of wisdom for the New Year?

As always, Happy Blogging!

Hawk Watching

gardening

My husband noticed a hawk hanging around our home recently. He seems to like to hang-out on the wires in our front yard and also in our tree. He comes and goes more than a few times a day. He seems to have a pattern of places he likes to visit.

He seems fairly tame really, as he does not startle easily. I went to get the mail one afternoon and did not think he was in the yard, only to be surprised to find him on the ground. Our eyes met and then I carried on about my business and he his. Yesterday, I was walking past our tree on a path and was surprised to look up and see our hawk friend. Again our eyes met. I kept walking, so as not to alarm him. He stayed in the tree. After a bit, he flew up to the wires. Bicyclists, cars, etc., do not bother him.

Every day we catch ourselves looking out the window in search of the hawk. He is most likely hunting as he is very focused on the ground below. I have taken photos of him and compared them to the photos in a bird book I have. I believe he is a Red Shouldered Hawk.

Well, we hope he likes our yard and continues to stay around. He is a beautiful and fascinating bird. I wonder what he thinks of us?

As always, Happy Observing!

Dreaming of Chickpea Soup

Cooking

This Chickpea Soup is my new favorite. I have caught myself craving it at night. It is so yummy! It is such a quick and easy soup to make. As with most soups, one can add or subtract an ingredient or two as needed. The version in my picture was made the day after Thanksgiving, so I added leftover pieces of shredded game hen. Usually, however, this is a meatless soup for us. Let’s get started…

Chickpea and Kale Soup

  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 small green pepper – diced
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • pinch of each: oregano, thyme, basil, sage (dried)
  • 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas (rinsed and drained)
  • 1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup tomatoe (chopped)
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped tomatoes (canned) (looks pureed)
  • small bunch of kale (rinsed and torn into small pieces)
  • salt & pepper to taste
  • freshly shaved parmigiana cheese or crumbled feta cheese

Heat oil in a pot. Add the green pepper, onion, garlic, herbs, and cook, stirring, until the vegetables are barely tender, 4-5 minutes. (Do not brown the onions.) Add the chickpeas, chicken broth, and tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, add the kale, and simmer for 5 minutes. Serve with a sprinkling of cheese.

As always, Happy Cooking!